I have some recent, first hand, use of stand up commercial lawn mowers.

While I was at the Louisville Lawn and Garden expo checking out the latest equipment, I tooled around on a few of them.

This is just a quick viewpoint. For a more detailed explanation, check out my website later this month in the lawn care articles section where I will have more reviews.

I find the stand-ups tricky to maneuver for a few reasons:

1) The operator is leaning into a thigh pad for support. I find that posture uncomfortable after a period of time.

2) The stand-up commercial lawn mowers are not as top heavy as they look but they are still weighted differently than a walkbehind. If you have hilly yards, this is something to consider.

3) The position of the lawn care operator directly overlooking the deck coupled with all the jostling made me feel a bit woozy. I am sure the woozy feeling wouldn't last long once I get used to it.

There are benefits too:

1) A walkbehind allows the operator to constantly use his body to guide the mower...a slight tug here and push there keeps the mower in a straight line. The body language of a stand up is different in that you learn to lean with (or against) the stand-up mower to make those slight adjustments. Riding on the stand up surely reduces fatigue and a lawn mower operator can work longer and not be as tired as traditional methods.

2) There is definate space saving for the standups over loinger walkbehinds which means a lot if you are tight for space on your trailer.

All-in-all, I am currently neutral on them. I'm doing another demo with one soon.

Anyway, I'll have more a bit later this month.

ritchiem

01-06-2009, 07:33 PM

I had tested out a JD Stander and a Wright Stander. They both destroyed my back...I am 6'5" so that may have something to do with it. After about 30mins on each I felt like my spine was the shock absorber for the unit. Even though the quality of the cuts were beautiful, my body couldn't take it.

I own a 48" Exmark WB and I would never chose another. You could get a velke if you wish for a WB.

Spartan

01-07-2009, 04:53 PM

thanks guys for the information.

Thoughts on a Toro 40" Turbo Zone hydrolic floating deck WB, 17Hp?

musician/lawnman

01-08-2009, 08:33 AM

In contrast to the mentioned above, I own a wright centar sport (very similar to a stander but adds a spring bound seat). You can ride it sitting or standing & switching is nice. I haven't had an trouble at all with my back & I love this mower. I do spend quite a bit of time standing on it & prefer to stand on a really bumpy lawn than sit. It is great on the hills & slopes. I will be buying & running these machines from here on out. I will say this , it takes some getting used to, the controls are different from a regular zt. (I own one of each) Every employee I've had didn't like the wright after one use, but after 3-4 lawns experiance on it they were fighting over who got to use it & nobody wanted to ride the regular Z.

ritchiem

01-08-2009, 09:55 AM

oh ya the centars are very nice. The controls are a dual forward reverse bar and really takes getting use to. But this machine can turn at full speed without pulling up turf...I don't think I have every used a mower that produced a quality cut in short amount of time. I would consider purchasing one when the time comes that I need another ZT.

musician/lawnman

01-08-2009, 06:51 PM

Hey Rich,

I was thinking about your comment above earlier today as I was running my mower standing up, Yeah I can see how at 6'5" you'd have to hunch over alittle more making it worse on your back.... I am about 5'11" and It works well for me! I like bein able to stand for a while then sit & relax. I really like it for the overgrown lawns too. You can stand up in the really tall grass & you can do a better job of watching out for all the ridiculous crap that is inevitebly in 3 foot tall grass like ohh I don't know.... Cinder blocks, tree stumps, rebar, flower bed curbing etc. The other thing it's great for is we have drainage ditches in front of every house here, Some are a pretty steep V at the bottom. I try to change up my cutting pattern regularly, but on some the V is so tight that if you try to cross on a regular z the front tires go across, then the back of the frame hits suspending the rear tires in mid air! It BLOWS! You have to tow it (JERK IT) out with a truck or another mower. The Centar has nothing behind the rear wheels & nothing in front of the front wheels! It just cooks right through.

During the rainy season, my Z would slide to far down these ditches & get stuck in the mud (tearing up the yard) & require being pulled out then too. My Wright doesn't "side slide" down banks near as much so it doesn't often get stuck. The few times it has it was because I drove it too close not because it slid. Even then I can turn the blades off, get off it, grab the bar at the back of the seat with one hand & pull while using the other hand to pull the levers putting the machine in reverse & it has come right out every single time, No need to tow it! Sweet machne. I feel like a broken record cause I have bragged about this thing so much on here in the last 6 months. :)

ritchiem

01-08-2009, 07:57 PM

there is nothing wrong with promoting something that you believe in and you can share results.

clarklandscaping

01-18-2009, 07:48 PM

I have a 52" Great Dane Super Surfer and I dont think that I would ever consider purchasing a sit down mower ever. Standing up, at least for me, leaves me feeling great at the end of the day. Plus its so nice to just step off the machine if you have to pick something up versus a sit down ZTR. As mentioned before, they are much shorter for those with ever shrinking trailers. :)